Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Thursday confirmed that the country carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan on Tuesday night.

“Pakistan is united for its people. Pakistan conducted an operation in Afghanistan’s border areas,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, Dawn newspaper reported.

“The intelligence-based operation was conducted by Pakistan in Afghanistan’s border areas,” Baloch specified, adding that it was carried out “based on threats to the security of Pakistani citizens”.

However, the official stressed that Pakistan had “always prioritised dialogue in matters relating to ties with Afghanistan”.

“We respect Afghanistan’s integrity and sovereignty,” she asserted.

Baloch noted that Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies routinely conduct operations “against terrorist groups in the border areas”. “Preparations for these operations are made in an extremely careful manner,” she highlighted.

Stating that protecting its citizens was Pakistan’s top priority, Baloch reiterated that there were “threats posed by terrorist elements to Pakistan and its citizens”.

“Pakistan is committed to the security of its public,” Baloch said.

IEA summons Pakistan’s charge d’Affaires over deadly airstrikes

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Wednesday summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry handed over a “firm protest note” to the Pakistani diplomat, condemning the recent airstrikes by Pakistani forces in the Barmal district of Paktika province.

The note stressed that the protection of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity is a “red line” for the Islamic Emirate and warned that such reckless actions would have serious and far-reaching consequences.

The Pakistani airstrikes, which took place late Tuesday night, resulted in 46 deaths and left six others injured in Barmal district.